Improvement in photographic camera-stands



lmprlovement in Photgraphic Camera-Stands.

No. 128,915. Patented Jura/9,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEoDoEE M sonLEIEE7 o'E KNoXvILLE, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEME'NT IN PHOTOGRAPIIIC CAMERA-STANDS.

1 Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,915, dated July 9, 1872.

p SPECIFICATION.

I, TnEoDoRE M. SCHLEIEE, of'Knoxville,

in the county of Knox and State of Tennessee, have invented an Improved Camera- Stand, of which the following is a specification:

Nature and Objects of the Invention..

My invention has for one object the more ready, vertical, and oblique adjustment of the table on which the camera is placed. An-

.other object is to provide a convenient place Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 is aviewof my invention, partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section in the line a b, Fig. 1.

General Description.

The' apparatus consists of a stand, A, which has three sides and legs furnished, if desired,

vwith casters. The tripod form is favorable to the steadiness ofthe apparatus, for evident reasons. Within the triangular stand is a vertically-adjustabletable, B, each of whose legs, b, is notched, so that it may be engaged by a pawl-lever, which acts as a detent to hold the table at any required vertical adjustment. The system of pawls, c c c, may be considered a compound lever or a pair of levers connected by a bar, so as to move coincidently, either by displacement as the table B is raised by the treadle H, orl by direct withdrawal by means of the trigger C when the table B is to be lowered. K is a hinged table., upon which the camera is to be placed. The hinge is at the anterior edge, or that presented toward `the subject. Beneath the rear edge of the camera-table K,and hinged to the platform of the rising frame B, is a segmental ratchet, m, which engages a iin or cog, n, on the under side of the table K, so as to hold the latter at any required degree of elevation within its range of adjustment. T is an inclined trough, attached to the standframe A to receive the plate-holder while the camera is receiving its final adjustment as to height, inclination, lateral direction, and distance.

Operation.

The artist bringing with him from his laboratory the prepared plate inclosed in the holder, places it in the trough T, where it may drip without injuring the carpet, and where it is always at hand when needed. The camera, not shown in the drawing, being upon the stand, he then, we may suppose, 'places his foot upon the pedal-lever H, and raises the rising frame B, the spring-pawls c c c giving way as the oblique faces of the notches press against them, and snapping into the next notch beneath.` The lateral and distance adjustments having been made by moving the stand on its casters, the artist next may give the, required inclination to the camera-table K by means of the segment-rack m. While adjusting for inclination with the left hand.

upon the tail of the ratchet m, the right may be employed at the camera in adjusting the focus. While both hands are thus employed, a little more elevation may be given by the pressure of the foot upon the treadle. Should the elevation be a little too much, the left hand may reach the trigger C and withdraw the pawls c c c, the foot remaining on the pedal H to let the rising frameB decends gradually. Thus the right and left handsy and the foot may be coincidently employed, and the required result may be reached more readily and speedily than by any apparatus for the same purpose with which I am acquainted.

. Claims.

What I claim as new is- 1. The arrangement of the pedal-'lever H, rising frame B, with notched vertical members b b b, and pawls c c o", and camera-table K, operating substantially as described.

2. The compound system of levers o c c or their mechanical equivalents, forming pawls for engagement with the notched legs of the rising table, and capable of simultaneous retraction by trigger C or its equivalent, substantially as described.

3. The segmental ratchet m, pivoted to the platform of the rising table B, and engaging with a fin on the under side of the hinged ment of the camera with reference to the sub camera-table K, for the adjustment of the inject.

cliimtion of the latter, substantially as de- THEODORE M. SCHLEIER. -scribed.

4. The trough T, attached to the camera- 'Witnessem stand A for the reception of the plate-holder 'Wim H. BRERETON, Jr.,

Within convenient reach, pending the adjust- EDWARD H. KNIGHT. 

